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SkyClan's Destiny/Chapter 21
Chapter description :Leafstar wakes when a paw prods her side. Sharpclaw tells her to wake up, and she opens her eyes to see him standing over her, a paw raised to prod her again. She asks what's the matter and if they are being attacked. Sharpclaw hisses that they aren't, but must go now. His leader looks at him puzzled, and he adds that they must attack the Twoleg's nest, to give him a fright. Leafstar shakes her head and says that they agreed to attack tomorrow night, as long as the weather was better. Sharpclaw says that the clouds have cleared, and backs away to the entrance of the den, waving his tail at a sky filled with stars. He point out that she couldn't hope for a better night than that, but Leafstar argues that the kittypets have gone home, and they had promised to stay tomorrow night and help with the attack. She adds that they can’t leave them out again after their disappointment in missing the rat fight. Sharpclaw says that’s their problem, and adds that it's the best night for attacking, since they need as much light as possible. Leafstar admits that he's right, but as she heads down the trail into the gorge, she feels guilty, and wonders what she'll say to the daylight-warriors when they hear about the attack, and what Billystorm will think of her lying to him. :Sharpcalw races across the cliff face to wake the warriors, then leads the way down to the river. Leafstar joins them near the foot of the Rockpile. Everything is lightened, and Leafstar realizes that, as Sharpclaw persisted, it is a perfect night to attack, although she still feels guilty. Without being called, Sagepaw and Mintpaw burst out of their den and race down to join the warriors. Mintpaw and pants that she wants to go too, and Sagepaw adds the he also wants to teach the Twoleg a lesson, after what he did to their mother. Leafstar tells Mintpaw that she can come, but isn't sure if Sagepaw's leg will be okay. He insists that his leg is fine, but Leafstar asks Echosong what she thinks. The medicine cat knows home much it means to the apprentice, and allows him to go, if Leafstar watches him and takes him out of the action if he starts to limp. Leafstar agrees to this, and adds to Sagepaw that if she tells him to back off, he mustn't argue. Petalnose shoulders her way through the cats to stand beside her kits, and promises to keep an eye on him too. Leafstar asks if Petalnose if she's sure that she'll come, but the pale gray she-cat replies that they need her, for she knows the Twoleg and his nest better than any cat. Leafstar shows approval, and a voice shakily meows that he'll come too. Leafstar spins around to see Shrewtooth, trembling but determined. Leafstar thanks him, but responds that there's no need, privately worrying that he might panic. Shrewtooth insists on coming and not being a coward anymore. His leader promises that no cat would call him a coward, but that every cat doesn't need to come. She adds that Patchfoot would guard the camp and protect the queens and kits, but can’t do it alone. Sharpclaw adds that guarding the camp is the most important task, and black tom accepts, promising not to let the deputy down. :Leafstar gathers the rest of the Clan together and leads them up the top of the gorge, noticing that all four newcomers have joined the patrol without protests, but are tense. She wonders what secrets they are hiding. As the SkyClan warriors creep across the border, Leafstar notices that Petalnose is trembling. She goes the she-cat's side and touches her nose to the warrior’s ear, murmuring that she can go back, but Petalnose vows to do it. Leafstar walks alongside Petalnose for encouragement. :As they head toward the Twoleg den, Leafstar wonders if ThunderClan ever fought Twolegs, and if their ancestors are watching from the sky. She anxiously thinks that she should have asked Echosong if she'd had a sign from StarClan about the attack, then realizes that her medicine cat would have told her. She thinks that maybe StarClan being silent meant that they were happy for SkyClan to make their own decision. Leafstar is frustrated that it always feels like she is leading her Clan in the dark. :Sharpclaw softly hisses as the patrol reaches the edge of the clearing and halts under the trees opposite the Twoleg nest. Sharpclaw whispers that everyone knows their job, and orders Waspwhisker, Shorty, and Cherrytail to collect dead branches and brambles, and drag them outside the nest door. The three cats twitch their ears in acknowledgement, and melt into the shadows. The deputy tells Cora, Bouncefire, and Rockshade, the fastest runners, to lead the dog away and get into position. Leafstar adds that they must make sure they have a good escape route, and Cora mews that they'll be careful. Sharpclaw tells the rest of the cats to spread out and not move until hearing Leafstar's signal. :The SkyClan leader crouches beneath the bushes at the edge of the Twoleg garden, nose quivering at the rank smells coming from the den. Cherrytail, Waspwhisker, and Shorty drag branches and bramble tendrils across the open space, and Leafstar is anxious as they make a mound outside the nest's door before hiding in the bushes. It is silent, and her warriors are in position. Leafstar's belly briefly cramps, but she yowls the command to attack, and springs forward. :All around her, SkyClan warriors burst out of the undergrowth and race toward the Twoleg den, yowling. Sharpclaw reaches the den first, and leaps up onto the narrow ledge outside the gap in the wall. The hard, transparent barrier rattles as he batters it. Leafstar jumps up to the other gap and hurls herself against it, Sparrowpelt beside her, while Tinycloud and Petalnose bound rake the door with their claws. The rest of the Clan gathers close to the nest, wailing. Leafstar's doubt returns, fretting that her cats won't be able to resist getting too close to the Twoleg or his dog. She meets Sharpclaw's gaze, and he gives her a swift nod, jumping down to join the warriors and telling them that they don't want any injuries. :Suddenly light appears in on of the gaps high up in the den wall, the yellow light trapping the apprentcies in the glare, and they freeze with shock. Sharpclaw screeches for them to get back, and Leafstar orders her Clanmates to keep back and hide. The cats dash for cover, leaving a clear space in front of the door. Leafstar, crouched in a clump of ferns with Shorty, hears crashing inside the nest and shouts from the Twoleg. The door flies open and the dog stands on the step, tongue lolling. Leafstar shudders at the sight of the dog, and the cats fall silent, leaving only an eerie wailing that comes from the far end of the garden to be heard. The yowling frightens Leafstar, even though she knows what it is, and she pokes her head out of the ferns, spotting Cora, Bouncefire, and Rockshade at the edge of the garden. Rockshade dares the dog to catch them. The Twoleg, still inside the den, barks a command. The dog leaps over the thorn hurtles toward the three warriors, and Leafstar silently wills them to run. To her horror all three cats stay still, hissing, until the dog is almost on them. Then they whip around and race through the fence toward the edge of the forest, the dog hard on their paws. Leafstar begs StarClan to keep them safe. :When the dog vanishes, the rest of SkyClan start yowling again. The Twoleg comes into view in front of the door and snarls, then steps right into the barrier of thorns. With a screech he topples over as the branches snag on his hind feet and sprawl forward onto this face. His hind paws get more tangled as he tries to get up. When he manages to stand, he holds a branch in a forepaw. Leafstar flinches at his anger and fear-scent. Sparrowpelt slips out from the shelter of a bush; the Twoleg staggers forward, swiping at him with the branch. The tom dodges easily to one side, and more cats appear from their hiding places. Petalnose, Mintpaw, and Sagepaw stand directly in front of the Twoleg with their backs arched, hissing. Leafstar doubts that the Twoleg would recognize them, but the three cats are furious. Behind them, Waspwhisker angrily rips at the glass with his claws. Stick and Coal dubiously stand close together, but Cherrytail and Tinycloud advance together, hissing. :With a growl, Petalnose takes a step forward, and the Twoleg looks at her. Petalnose unhesitatingly takes another step forward, showing her long claws. A strange noise comes from the Twoleg, and drops the branch falls. Leafstar spots Sharpclaw in the shadow of the nest, and curls her tail as a signal, thinking that they must end it before a cat gets hurt. All the cats gaze at the Twoleg, and Leafstar yowls at him to leave them alone, even though she knows that he won't understand. She warns that if the Twoleg hurts another cat, they'd do more than scare him. The Twoleg lets out high-pitched whimpers, legs shaking, and Leafstar briefly pities him, before looking at Petalnose and her kits, and remembering their weak state after being rescued. She also remembers Shrewtooth, and thinks that the Twoleg deserves to feel scared. :Leafstar waves her tail to tell her Clanmates that the attack is over. They race into the trees together, and glancing over her shoulder, Leafstar sees the old Twoleg stumble back inside his den. Pride surges through Leafstar as she leads her Clan back through the forest. They have just crossed the border when she hears panting and yelping, and freezes when the dog bursts out form a clump of hazel saplings. But the dog pays no attention to any cat, and, with its tail between its legs and blood dripping from its nose, runs to the Twoleg nest. Leafstar is satisfied as she walks again, triumphant that SkyClan won. Characters Major }} Minor *Sagepaw *Mintpaw *Echosong *Petalnose *Shrewtooth *Stick *Cora *Shorty *Coal *Waspwhisker *Cherrytail *Bouncefire *Rockshade *Sparrowpelt *Tinycloud }} Mentioned *Patchfoot *Clovertail *Fallowfern *Creekkit (Unnamed) *Plumkit (Unnamed) *Rabbitkit (Unnamed) *Nettlekit (Unnamed) *Firestar }} Notes and references Category:SkyClan's Destiny Category:Chapter subpages Category:Super Edition arc